1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine and playing method thereof capable of running a free game.
2. Description of Related Art
There have been known gaming machines configured to display plural types of symbols scrolled and then stopped, and to award a predetermined amount of game media (e.g. a predetermined amount of coins or money) according to a combination of symbols presented after stopping the scroll. Such gaming machines are disclosed in the specifications of U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,133, No. 6,012,983, and No. 6,093,102, for example.
Among those gaming machines is a gaming machine which runs a free game when a predetermined condition (e.g. rearrangement of a particular symbol during a slot game) is met during a game. The free game is a game playable without a need of betting a game media.
Further, for example, there are also a free game so-called rescue game which is run for the purpose of returning game media to a player who has played a game predetermined number of times.
Since the free game is played without consuming a game medium, players in general plays a game with a strong hope for occurrence of the free game. However, in cases where the free game is repetitively run more than once upon meeting a predetermined condition, the free game which is repeated in the same manner is not so interesting.
The present invention is made in view of the above problem, and the object thereof is to provide a gaming machine and a gaming method thereof capable of giving a player an expectation and satisfaction even during repeated free games.